Best-known for his slapstick humor on stage, screen and television, his singing ability in a string of music album recordings, and his charity fundraising telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Jerry Lewis is an American icon. Lewis was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. In addition to the team’s popular nightclub work, they starred in a successful series of comedy films for Paramount Pictures. A respected actor, comedian, film producer, writer, film director and philanthropist, Lewis has won several awards for lifetime achievements and in 2005 he received the Governors Award of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors, which is the highest Emmy Award presented. In February, 2009, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Lewis the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.